


This One's Different

by AnonymousFragger



Category: OFF (Game)
Genre: M/M, Other, Spoilers, nothing porny yet but there might be later if people like it haha
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-19
Updated: 2014-09-03
Packaged: 2018-02-13 21:06:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2165187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonymousFragger/pseuds/AnonymousFragger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new game starts. This Player is different... He seems to know everyone, yet he has never played this game before. The Batter becomes more and more angry with his puppeteer's behavior, and Zacharie? He just gets more and more curious.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time I've ever written OFF. I'm sorry that it's pretty terrible. I break the 4th wall almost more than the game does so be afraid. I have lots of headcanons I'm cramming into one thing. I had originally wanted to write this as a Zacharie/Batter fic, but I couldn't find a good setup, so I went with this instead. 
> 
> If enough people enjoy it, and say so, I might make a female/gender-neutral/non-binary versions of this fic for people who want it. I know because this player is male it isn't so much a 'find/replace' thing, but you can do that with the name, ' Z ', if you like. Just don't repost it xD
> 
> Anyway I'd love some feedback, tell me how you like it or don't like it, how I should change it, if anything. Thank you!

The Switch is now on  **OFF.**

  
Zacharie sat in the silence, in the dark. The switch was, indeed, off, yet he remained. He always had. He closed his eyes, letting out a long-held breath. This Player had chosen to stay loyal to thier Batter.

The merchant survived through every play through. He was there every time the game ended. And, between plays, he was there, waiting. He equally craved and dreaded the day that a new Player came. On one hand; the World would be back to the way it was. The Batter would be back. Zacharie could exist again.

On the other, Zacharie forgot. Every time, every single time, he recalled almost nothing from the previous ‘game’. He remembered in explicit detail, up until they were once again called to be in their spots, to play their roles.

It was cruel, really. Zacharie considered this to be his very personal hell. His mind clouded over with ignorance as the newest Player came forth. There was nothing he could do. Reset was here.

However, what was most unnerving about the Reset was that Zacharie didn’t forget  _everything._  He knew about the Batter, remembered him, remembered how he felt about him after all this time. He didn’t know why or how, but he knew the Batter. He forgot all sequences of events, yet when they came, right before he became intimately familiar all over again.

This Game was no different. Zacharie watched; he was always just off-screen, watching, until he was needed otherwise. He’d made a game of following and watching the Batter and his puppeteer’s progress. He chuckled lowly as he asked them their gender, their name.

[Male]

[ Z ]

_Interesting name._  Zacharie watched as the Player battled with the interface at first; it actually took him two tries to type in his name, because he didn’t seem to be able to decide, nor could he find the backspace button. This should be entertaining to say the least.

Zacharie had an interesting ability; he couldn’t exactly communicate with the puppeteer, but he could understand them. He could feel and sometimes even hear their words and thoughts, if they had enough emotion behind them. The merchant leaned on a wall at the back of Zone 0 as he watched the Batter approach the Judge.

Almost instantly, he became aware that this player was not like most others. Certainly, there had been several who had a distinct familiarity with the characters; these were the ones who re-played. But this was distinctly divergent. Z was familiar with Judge, with Batter, but not the kind from someone who had been there before. He barely could figure the controls; Zacharie watched as the Batter walked in a tight circle before righting back out, then stop in place for a full minute as the Player discovered the menu.

Now exceptionally curious, Zacharie decided to delve a little deeper into the Player’s behavior. Normally he was merely an observer, but he did, in fact, have the ability to listen in more closely than he normally bothered with.

Before he could pick apart the fibers of the complex emotions that were coming forth- this human was exceptionally reactive, so much so that there was just clusters of emotion clumped together, and he couldn’t exactly pull them apart swiftly- they were moving on. He had to dash to get out of the way and avoid being seen. Not that it mattered; he wasn’t supposed to be seen, anyway, so he would just vanish and re-appear at his post where he was meant to be when the Batter eventually found him for the first time.

For now, he was just going to watch. He could perhaps attempt to weave through the dense clump of emotions at a later time.

The first Elsen encountered, as always, had no idea who the Batter was. It’s almost cute. Zacharie didn’t have much memory, but he knew that the Elsen eventually became extremely enamored with Batter, the simple things that they were.

"I… Who sent you?"

"Nobody. I’m being led by Z."

_**Don’t blame this on me, asshole.** _

Zacharie jolted slightly. He could  _hear_  that, vibrating through his very bones. He actually looked up, as if to stare at the sky, as if expecting to see the face of the Player. The Batter reacted as well, slightly twitching. Luckily, because of the vision of the outside world, the Player did not see the subtle mannerism.

The merchant was still in shock as they moved into the smoke mines. There was a silence that weighed heavily on the man, who merely stood there, hovering in the shadows.

Meanwhile, the Batter’s chest was a seething inferno. He was furious. His Player disagreed with his mission?  _Why?_  Was it not good to rid the poor citizens of the impure that leaked across the land like an ocean of acid? His hand clenched tightly around the bat at his side, mouth curling into an angry snarl.

Z refused to fight with him. Batter lashed out at any and all specters, and entirely alone. His Player did not aid him. He was standing alone in this fight.

They did not get far before Z stopped playing. Batter hissed through his teeth the second he was alone.

The first thing he did was lash out, throwing his bat violently across the hall of the mines, letting its echo ground him. It didn’t work. He snatched his bat and tried to look for more specters, at least to continue the work his player should be doing beside him.

Yet, it seemed without the puppeteer, the specters had no interest in showing themselves to Batter.

Now livid, he decided to stalk his way back up to where he had been. He’d wait. He’d wait for his Player to come, to lead him on toward his goal.  _He **hates**  me. Why?_

—

It was far too long, in Batter’s opinion, when Z returned. Really, it had only been a day, but a full 24 hours to the Batter was an astronomical waste of time. By then his anger had become acidic, and Zacharie swore that the Player could feel it. Which was impossible, really, considering that they were in a video game.

It took longer than expected to finally get to the end of the mines, which Zacharie was anxious for. His time to ‘meet’ the Batter was almost at hand. By the time Dedan had arrived, a lull had formed in the emotions of the puppeteer, mindlessly moving Batter from one battle to the next, and solving the puzzles for him.

When Dedan appeared, though, the merchant detected another change.

"He was hostile. He must be purified." Batter’s voice was a low hiss.

"Wh— what? No. No, please don’t…" The Elsen stared in horror at the Batter, who slung his bat, bloody after defeating the specters inside, over his shoulder. "Don’t do that…"

**_What is this holy war you’re fighting? Why? Dedan is an asshole but—_  **Zacharie couldn’t make out solid words after that, it all fell together into a mess of vague notions and thoughts. The Player found it… Upsetting, terrible even, the Batter’s reaction to the Guardian’s presence.

Enough of that. It was nearly time for Zacharie to make his appearance, to meet the Batter, and.. Z.

There was a burst of absolute affection that came off of the Player in waves when he appeared. Batter’s gait changed slightly as he walked toward Zacharie, his head tilting down and the brim of his hat hiding his eyes in shadow. His hands curled into fists at his sides, standing in front of the shorter man with a set jaw.

"…Who are you?" The Batter said coldly. Zacharie and he had had this exchange many, many times. Even with a Reset mind, he always recalled this.

Never,  **never,**  had the Batter asked him that with so much hate in his tone.

-

"… I’m… I’m afraid.

…

…

… Help me.”

Ah, the first Burnt. Batter was ready to rush ahead, to defeat the abomination that spewed forth dark ink from its neck, yet he was frozen. Z made no choices, initiated no battle.

**_No… Don’t! Stop it! He asked you for help not for murder!_ **

Batter was once again left to fight alone. Today, at least, Z had taken time to actually battle specters, but not the Burnt. In fact, a flee attempt was made before he let the Batter purify the soiled Elsen.

_**I’m sorry… I’m sorry, little one.** _

"Maybe… Maybe his suit has taken control of is… His brain…"

Another break came soon after. Every Burnt they encountered, Z showed an actual repulsion to, was so very offended by the fact they there was no choice but to destroy them.

Zacharie watched, calmly, as another save point was used, and the Player once again left them. The reaction was instant; Batter let out a snarl of rage and yanked his hat off his head, throwing it violently to the ground. He combed through his hair with a tense hiss, expression dark.

"What is the matter, amigo?" Zacharie offered, voice soft and pleasant, as it always was.

“ _You._ " Batter said, instantly rounding on the merchant.

"Methinks it is not me, at all, my friend, but rather  _you,_  and Z.” Zacharie said easily, pushing his hands into his pockets, staring passively through his mask at the other. Batter’s jaw set and his eyes narrowed. He snatched up his hat again and pointedly put it back on, tugging on the bill.

"He loathes me." Batter rasped, anger clear as day.

"He fears you." Zacharie corrected. Batter’s head snapped toward him, staring him down. He said nothing, and there was a long pause before he gave in.

"…Explain."

Zacharie chuckled; his soft, low tone he was known for. “I’m sure you are just as aware of your puppeteer’s heart as I am, Batter. You feel his strong emotions just as I have this whole time. Unlike you, however, I have had the joy of lacking distractions, and have been able to untie the knot that is the perplexing emotions of your dear Player. And it is not hate toward you, it is fear.”

Batter stared at him, his pale eyes shadowed under his hat. “Why? Why fear me? He is not impure. He is aiding me in my mission to purify the world.”

"That is _your_ mission, not his. In fact, I don’t know why he is helping you, at all. He fears you because you force him to be your guide, therefore giving him the responsibility and blame for those Elsen you liberated."

"That’s stupid." Batter snorted, crossing his arms.

"Is it?"

"He will—"

"Do as you say? Aid you in your mission? Of course he will. There’s nothing else he  _can_  do.”

At that, Batter’s mouth dropped to a frown. “He’s not in control.  _You_  are, amigo.”

A slow smile, a gleam of malicious intent and a dash of fangs, split the normally deadpan face.

_I’m in control._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is really short but I promise it'll get longer as I get more into the groove of things. Right now it mostly just is reading as a play-through in text form beyond what I'm posting, so I'm trying to extend it a bit more and flesh it out into a story. Diverge from the game and all that. 
> 
> Comments are super appreciated! It encourages me to write more!

It was a long time before the Player came back again. A _very_ long time. So long, in fact, that the Batter became viciously violent toward any and all he came in contact with. Zacharie, to his credit, avoided him after the first altercation. 

 

"Amigo," Zacharie whispered, blood drizzling down from his nose, curling over his mouth and staining his white teeth pink. His mask had been crushed into his face and broken his nose. "Y-you can't-- there are rules-"

 

" _Rules_ ," Batter spat, fists curling tightly into the thick wool of the man's sweater. He heaved up the merchant, looking through the eye holes and staring at Zacharie, able to see from here that one of his eyes was starting to swell shut. “What  _rules_ are there to protect  _you_ from  _me_ ?” 

 

Zacharie's hands scrambled at Batter's, clawing uselessly at his wrists. He couldn't break that grip, the grip of a monster; the grip of a holy man who's mission was being denied him. “You ne—need me,” He man rasped, his dark flesh stark against that of the Batter. “Without-- me you'll never g-get far, I have it-items you and your pl-player needs-” He was stumbling over his words because he was laughing. He was terrified for his life, but he knew he could not die. Not like this. There were rules. 

 

“His name is Z. You know that.” Batter growled, dropping Zacharie to the floor, watching him crumple into a heap. “But you're right... Regrettably.” Batter scooped up his bat from the ground, smeared with Zacharie's blood, and let it hand limply in his grasp as he walked away. He was tall enough that the plastic bat did not hit the ground. He hadn't advanced enough to get a metal one, yet. It may have been made of plastic, but it was solid, and heavy. Zacharie had seen him defeat many a spectre with it already. 

 

Since then, the merchant actively got out of Batter's way. He could do nothing to stop him from taking his rage out on the Elsen, however, and such violence was nearly enough to make the jaded man cringe. Almost. The Elsen didn't even get a chance to become burnt, before Batter clubbed them to death. The vicious actions caused all those who escaped to become terrified, fleeing for their lives with smoke starting to curl from their gaping, screaming mouths. 

 

It sort of fit, in a sick way. Z had left them at Alma, where the Elsen were all triggered into becoming burnt as soon as Batter spoke to them. It was a random happenstance that Batter was currently giving them a very good reason to. 

 

“I suppose you think that these workers are impure,” Zacharie said, from a safe distance, off shore in the Pedalo. Batter whipped around to face him, mouth curling down in a dark, horrifying scowl, but he didn't lash out. He couldn't. Zacharie reached under his mask to flake off some of the dried blood, still left there from a previous assault. “Are they? What about them is so impure?”

 

“They have attempted to stop me in my quest to find and kill Dedan,” Batter said simply. 

 

“It sounds as though you are merely grasping at straws, as they say.” Zacharie deadpanned back, brushing off his arms casually. “Or, perhaps, you're taking out your anger on them because your dear puppeteer has a soft spot for them, but not for you?”

 

“ _Shut_ up.” Batter hissed, pointing his bat at the merchant as if it were a gun. His one add-on hummed and hovered around it near the clenched fist of the anti-hero. “I am merely clearing the way, before Z and I continue _our_ mission.” 

 

“It's been many days, amigo,” The man mumbled, lifting both hands when Batter's back went straight, showing more anger. The merchant's mouth, below the mask, curled upwards into a deep grin. “Do you not feel that your efforts are in vain?”

 

“He will finish what he started.” Batter's eyes, always obscured by the bill of his hat, briefly caught the light as he looked up to the matte, cloudy sky. “I know he will. I _feel_ him, every day. He's always on that machine, he _has_ the access. He thinks of me.” His voice dropped to a lower register, a growl. “He thinks of my mission, the mission he's started. He won't fail me.” Zacharie saw the grasp on the handle of the bat become tighter. “His fear is too great for him to betray me.” 

 

This time,  _Batter_ smiled. His lips curled inhumanly, showing bright teeth, sharp at the canines and blunt elsewhere. It vanished after just a few seconds, his body still tense and shoulders drawn tight. Without another word, he stalked away again, looking for something- anything to do, to pass the time. To wait for his puppeteer to give him the power to complete his mission. 

 


End file.
